Finished the Werewolf of London and he’s in the box waiting pick up. Back to the Crater Lake Monster next week. It will be a new item for sale on the store. I am thinking of new masks to do later this year.

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I shipped everything but the Werewolf mask yesterday. I did get the hair on the Werewolf and I ran out of boxes. My order for boxes won’t be here for a few days. Don’t know why they usually take 2 days. But I’ reuse a box and send it today if I can find one the right size.

The Werewolf mask still needs his scarf anyway.

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It’s hard to work on other projects I have like the crater lake monster sculpture when you have business to do first. Most of the orders are filled. Rosie sits in front of some of the orders ready to ship today. This in our galley room near the front door in the background you see our studio kitchen. We have been here so long it’s become our second home.

Another Balok for a lucky customer.

He’s fresh out of the mold and unpainted.

Another Werewolf just freshly painted. Today he gets hair, glazed eyes, a scarf, teeth, and epoxy glazed eyes and teeth.

Busy, busy week. Got these orders finished and the Werewolf finally cured enough to pull yesterday. The new Monster Mask rubber looks really good. I’m happy with it.

Really need a new mold for Seemore this one is at the end of it’s life. I had to do a lot of extra work on him to get him looking good. Yesterday I cast a resin marble base for the Travis Walton bust. Balok is all done.

These all ship on Monday. The Werewolf gets painted and hair on Monday.

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Got these both painted yesterday using Motion Picture FX new mask paints. I have to say they are excellent and made life easier to say the least. Clean up was easy, the airbrush never clogged and so on. Thank you Motion Picture FX for the samples. I’m sold!

Today I will epoxy glaze the eyes on the Balok , Alien, and paint Seemore. I thickened the back of the head and patched all the bubbles. He will be dry enough today to paint.

The Werewolf I’m using the new Motion Picture FX’s mask rubber on since Burman’s was out of rubber and will be for two weeks yet to come. This rubber is very white. I have used it before with great success. It costs me a bit more but I think it has benefits.

I’ll pull the mask today. Our temperatures in the back of the studio are still quite cold and it takes time for the rubber to set up. However this rubber remains so white it looks wet. Upon my touching it I found it wasn’t still wet except for the chin. So I didn’t pull it yesterday to be safe.

Generally I allow my mask molds to remain filled with rubber for up to 4 hours to get them thick enough for long life. Another reason they take time to properly gel and set up enough to pull safely.

Here’s some pictures for you to enjoy!

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It is rubber art. Things made from rubber are just so cool. I’ll never forget the first time I made a rubber mask how cool it was to hold it in my hands and know that I made it. What that lead to over the years to follow I couldn’t have imagined. I am truly blessed and grateful as I continue doing these things.

Yesterday the Travis Walton alien was dry enough to polyfoam fill. After an hour I opened it up and it’s perfect. It Never gets old taking your creation from a mold and you have product. Today it gets the seam removed and painted.

I’ll be painting the other two masks as well. As always with the Seemore the back of the head is not as thick with rubber than the front. So I put more latest on it and placed it back in the mold to rest while it dries. I poured the Werewolf which I hope to pull today.

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Mary and I took a drive into the LA valley, Burbank to be exact to the Motion Picture EFX Company to pick up more rubber and some polyfoam. In addition to that they were nice enough there to give us some samples of their mask paints to try. They gave us a generous portion at that two. Enough to pain a few masks and a water based contact cement that allegedly replaces the toxic Barge cement.

Today I’ll be able to pour the rest of my orders and paint the ones I have out of the molds already. This weather of constant cold and temps 50 and below in the bay are a hardship for curing rubber. I poured a Travis Walton Alien bust 3 days ago and it’s still not fully dry. I make all my castings very thick for long life but I have never had to wait this long in the past. Typically by now in Ventura our temperatures would be the upper 60’s and low 70’s. But due to the very real science fact of climate change everyday is a crap shoot.

I started this project for my secret customer yesterday. Already have one wing panel built. We have to build two 6 foot span versions in the end. This is a test bed for flight data. Out of all the planes and jets I have built and flown over the years I have never made a Wright Flyer. Kinda of exciting! It’s where it all began.

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We are back after a week of Covid hangover from our second shot, a week of the granddaughter staying with us, and prepping for a rocket launch in the desert and two day trip.

Orders continue to come in. Started a Seemore, Balok, Werewolf, and a Travis Walton Alien bust. We ran out of our rubber and my main supplier won’t have any for over two weeks. So we are going into town this morning early to pick up rubber from Motion Picture Effects.

We ran short for the Werewolf so we are stocking up.

Here’s what we have done so far. Your orders will be ready soon.

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In addition to all this we had a return Ape mask. It was returned because the person that ordered wanted to wear it not display it and it didn’t fit. He must have had a big head because originally it was sculpted on my head which is very large. I know there’s a joke in there somewhere. Really I can’t find hats often to fit me.

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They messed up the hair a bit trying to fit it. I will be cleaning this up and selling it with 20% off if anyone wants it. Just email me and it’s ready to go.